Knocking Elbows
by HMS Siren
Summary: Living with one's twin brother can be complicated at times, especially when the both of them are smushed into the tiniest apartment complex available. At least Rin can say he's had practice. [One-Shot]


**A/N:**

 **Hails: Could be post-animeverse, could be hopeful post-mangaverse. No idea. Interpret this whumpy nonsense however you please. It's pure self-indulgence and the encouragement of a bunch of random people in Discord. We all need the Okumura Twins' Bonding Moments.**

* * *

Living with one's twin brother could be complicated, especially when the both of you were smushed into the tiniest apartment complex available. Rin couldn't hide anything from his brother—not secrets, not stress, not even the special shampoo he stole from Yukio's side of the shower.

"Stop taking my stuff!" Yukio hissed, waving the nearly empty bottle in front of Rin's face. The elder twin was laying down on his tatami mat, shamelessly reading an Ero King magazine (one that Shima would have killed to get his hands on.) Rin closed the magazine, put it aside, and laid his hands behind his head.

"Stop putting your stuff on my side of the shower," He said nonchalantly. "Then maybe I won't mistake it for yours."

"It wasn't on your side of the shower, Rin!" Yukio snapped back. "Don't take my stuff."

"Yeah, whatever, four-eyes," Rin huffed, face already buried back in the magazine before Yukio could chastise him some more. "Chill out for a bit, won't you?

"Why is it whenever I have something nice, you have to take it?"

Rin paused at that, eyes coming up to watch Yukio flop down on his own tatami mat. Something didn't sit right with him about that statement—and he happened to know what exactly that something was.

PTSD was a bitch and Rin would recognize it anywhere. Years of experience had given him the ability to see it in the people he was particularly close to. With a sigh, Rin stood up, forgetting whatever magazine he might have been immersed in seconds ago, and snatched the keys to his motorcycle off the counter. He didn't say goodbye, didn't say where he was going, although by the time he was outside it was too late. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and hit the speed dial button for a good friend.

"Hey, Izumo? Can I borrow your kitchen for a bit?"

* * *

"Alright, what did you do this time?" Izumo asked, letting Rin inside. Plastic bags filled with groceries swung at his waist as he smiled sheepishly.

"Weeeeell," Rin trailed off, moving through her home with practiced ease while Izumo followed behind. "I… kinda… stole his shampoo?" Izumo cocked an eyebrow at that. "Really, I don't think it's the shampoo he's upset about. But I do think he's been letting his mind run wild again and it picked up some not so happy thoughts. And I didn't notice. Again."

"Classic post-trauma depression," Izumo muttered. Despite Rin's strength, she opted to help him move the groceries onto the counter anyway. She rifled through the bags, knowing exactly what it was Rin wanted to make.

"Yep," Rin said, popping the 'p.' He took out the fish while Izumo rolled out the seaweed.

"You're making it up to him?"

"Big time."

"I sure hope so."

* * *

By the time Rin got back, it was late in the night. He shouldn't have stayed so late but Izumo made both good conversation and good coffee (hopefully the extra caffeine boost would help keep him awake.) With the bounty he received from raiding Izumo's kitchen in hand, he sneaked inside and began to sort the spoils out.

Fresh fish in the fridge, a new bottle of expensive shampoo in the bathroom, and Rin himself on his bed, with his magazine, "reading" away.

It was silent in the apartment except for the whirring of the AC and the faint sound of… muffled crying? Rin sat up straight, coasting the area with his eyes when they landed on Yukio's shaking form. Rin was at his brother's side in a second, grabbing him by the shoulders. When Yukio didn't respond immediately, it clicked.

'A nightmare?' Rin thought. He shook his brother gently, whispering harshly. "Yukio, wake up! Wake up, dammit! Come on."

It was enough to get the deed done. Yukio bolted upward, hyperventilating and clawing at the area surrounding him. Rin pulled him into a hug, immediately relieved when Yukio's hands flew up to grasp his frame tightly.

"Easy, Yukio," Rin whispered soothingly, combing his fingers through Yukio's hair. "It's okay, I'm here. You're with me."

Yukio's heavy breathing slowly tapered off into lethargic breaths. He pressed his face against Rin's collarbone, seeking the warmth he naturally gave off. By the time he'd calmed down enough, Rin was quietly humming one of their father's lullabies and rubbing circles in the spot between his shoulder blades, a point which relaxed Yukio immensely at.

"What was your dream about?" Rin asked. He almost expected Yukio to say 'nothing' or 'don't worry about it' but he was pleasantly surprised.

"I dreamed you were dead. I dreamed everyone I cared about was dead." Yukio said tightly. He swallowed the rock in his throat and exhaled shakily. "I saw dad's face and… I think I saw mom's face. Except they didn't have eyes, just caves where they should be. They were disappointed in me, they said it was my fault."

"I'm sorry," Rin said. He upped the Snug Factor on his hug, letting Yukio cling even tighter to him. "That sucks. I can't really say a lot, though, I don't think anyone is dying anytime soon. Not in our friend group anyway." Rin was thinking he'd have to save his apology for tomorrow but with this occurrence in mind, now was better than later. He stood up, even as Yukio's grip tightened on his shirt and a sharp gasp escaped him.

"No, don't–"

"Hey, it's okay," Rin said quickly. "I'm not going far. I'm just gonna get something to eat, make some tea for the both of us. Maybe you can get in the shower."

Yukio nodded, his tail swished behind him to display the nervous wreck he was. Rin stood on his tiptoes, pressing a kiss to his twin's forehead. "Try not to scratch yourself up with nose nails of yours, okay?"

He didn't say anything as he dragged himself to the small bathroom, light flickering on. With that, Rin got to work. He filled the instant-boil kettle with water and placed it on its heater. While waiting for it to get hot enough, Rin rummaged through the cupboard for the cutesy infusers, searching specifically for the hedgehog one because despite how Yukio denied it, Rin knew that one was his favorite. He could hear the shower running as he filled the infusers with ground up chamomile.

Just as Yukio's shower had finished up, Rin had dug out the sushi he'd made and placed it on a plate, put a blanket underneath the kotatsu top, and set out their midnight snack. Yukio came back and stopped in his tracks, unsure what to make of his brother sitting at the kotatsu and sipping tea from a mug. He, a bit indecisively, joined Rin at the table and partook of both the sushi and the tea.

Glancing at the clock, he knew. It was too late to go to sleep but too early to do anything else.

And it was unbearably quiet.

"Thank you," Yukio slipped quickly from behind his mug, almost like it pained him to say it. "For the shampoo. And… for the meal."

Rin smiled brightly in response.

Sure, his brother could have his down moments.

But Rin was there for a reason.

And as long as there was life in his body and breath in his lungs, he'd chase all his brother's monsters away.


End file.
